True Love?
by TotallyNonchalantFBI
Summary: The sequel to 'True Love', as requested. As Ariel and Eric fall together, Urchin and Cassandra must work not to fall apart. Just because two people are good, doesn't mean they're good for each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Well folks, you wanted it, you got it!**

A year had passed; a lovely year. Fall was beginning to settle into the kingdom, and the people were beginning to swaddle themselves in it.

"It'll be too cold to swim, soon." Ariel remarked, running her long fingers across the surface of the glassy ocean.

"You can stay in the shallow end for a pretty long time, until it really starts snowing and everything freezes." Eric stated. "There's one little tide pool that's so shallow, it never freezes, though."

"Really?" Ariel perked up. "Where is it?" she looked around.

Eric grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the south end of the beach. It was only a couple minutes away. "There's a really cool starfish right there" he said, pointing.

Ariel fluttered out her skirt and settled into the stand. "Where?" she furrowed her brow.

Eric pointed a little to the left of where she was looking. "Right there…"

"Oh!" Ariel exclaimed, picking up a small wooden box with a starfish painted on it. She picked it up out of the tide pool and examined it.

Eric grabbed Ariel's free hand and pulled her to a standing position. Taking the box from her, he got down on one knee. "Ariel, will you marry me?" he smiled, opening the box.

Ariel was silent for a moment, staring back at Eric with her mouth agape. Tears filled her eyes and she flung herself towards him, hugging him and chanting a chorus of 'yes!'es.

Eric picked her up and spun her around.

"A wedding!" Ariel exclaimed, kissing Eric again. "I'm getting married – we're getting married! We're having a wedding!"

"Well, that's usually how it works. When do you want to get married?" Eric chuckled.

"Now! No, I should probably invite my father and sisters. And I don't know where we'd find a priest. No, we should probably wait a month…or three weeks." Ariel reasoned, tipping her head back to look at the ocean.

"Alright, we'll start on that tomorrow. But for today, let's just celebrate!" Eric beamed, hooking his arm around his fiancé's waist.

…

"I'm getting married!" Ariel ran into Cassandra's arms the first time she saw the girl.

"Oh, congratulations!" Cassandra smiled softly down at Ariel and hugged her back. "When's the date?"

"We don't know yet. I'm thinking soon, I don't need to fancy of a wedding, but I need enough time to pull everything together. There will be flowers and cake and I want it to be ocean themed, and I'll invite all of Atlantica and – oh, dear." Ariel paused and pursed her hand. "Are you okay, dear?"

"Oh, of course I am! This is such a happy day!" Cassandra said softly, grabbing Ariel's hand and swinging it.

"It's Urchin, isn't it?" Ariel pressed, looking kindly and offering Cassandra the option to open up.

"I still miss him. Does that make me stupid?" Cassandra said shyly, dipping her head down.

"No, no! Of course not." Ariel cupped Cassandra's cheek. "Here, let's talk privately."

Eric took the hint and wandered off, he had some business to take care of anyway.

Cassandra bit her lip and dipped her head "It's just…I don't want to be another stupid girl who stands around waiting for someone who will never come. Where's the line? Persistence, obsession, foolishness – they all mean different things to different people, and I'm not even entirely sure what they mean to me. They're different, I know, but they all seem to run together sometimes."

"Cassandra, you're overthinking." Ariel said sympathetically. "If you really love him, who's to say there even is a line? Don't go crazy thinking of hypotheticals, just know what you want, and do what you need to in order to get it.

"You're right!" Cassandra perked up. "So, you don't think I'm stupid for still liking him?"

"I don't think you're stupid, I think _he's_ stupid. But you still love him, so he's stupid _but_ lucky." Ariel giggled.

Cassandra smiled back and her and ran her hand through her black hair.

"The ink is starting to come out." Ariel commented, pointing at Cassandra's once honey-brown hair. "Are you just going to let it wash out, or re-dye it?"

"I don't know." Cassandra sighed. "I don't really like it, but I don't really like my hair either.

"Here, let it out of the ponytail!" Ariel insisted.

"Cassandra brushed her hair through with her fingers again, and then tugged on the ribbon. Her hair spilled over her shoulders and came down to the middle of her ribcage.

"It's gotten so long, I remember when it was only down to your shoulders." Ariel pushed it off her shoulder. "I bet Urchin wouldn't even recognize you like this."

"That's part of the problem." Cassandra sighed.

"Oh, Cassie, I was only kidding, I know Urchin would never forget you-" Ariel began.

"No, no, it's that he hasn't seen me in a year Ariel – a year. I know I still love him – but does he love me? I go out to the beach every day, if not for enjoyment then to hang laundry or some other chore!" Cassandra flicked her hand. "Why hasn't he tried to come to the beach, come look for me? I certainly can't go looking for him! It doesn't matter how much I might want to marry him if he doesn't want to marry me!"

"I told the staff!" Eric smiled, strutting back into the room. "They're all real excited to come to the wedding.

And clearly, they were. Almost instantly, dozens of people came pouring out of rooms, shouting their congratulations as the hustled and bustled about to gather things and clean things and prepare everything they could.

"Oh my!" Ariel laughed, distracted from Cassandra. She walked over to a nearby table and grabbed a piece of paper. Writing a short letter, she called out "Carlotta!" and the portly woman came to her aid.

"Oh my lovely, you're getting married!" Carlotta beamed, kissing Ariel's cheek and then Eric's. "What can I do to help?"

"Oh, can you take this to the shore? It's a letter to my father and sisters, the tides will take it there." Ariel asked.

"Of course, darling!" Carlotta took the letter and scurried off.

"Thank you so much!" Ariel called. "Come on, we have to go plan!" she grabbed Eric's arm and pulled him to the art room.

Cassandra shook her head a little and went to go hang laundry – and crashed right into a speeding footman, who promptly spilled tea all over her.

"Cassandra! I'm so sorry!" he stuttered, not knowing whether to help clean her up or keep apologizing. He settled for both.

"David, David – calm down!" she laughed. "It's just a work frock, it's to be expected!"

"I know, but-"

"You're fine with me, but who needed tea in such a hurry?" Cassandra said coyly. "You might not be as fine with them."

"Grimsby. He says we have a guest, and she's rather fussy, I'm getting the impression."

"Uh-oh!" Cassandra said tauntingly. "Here, let me help you make a fresh pot, my laundry can wait."

"Thanks, Cass." David gave her a half-smile and squeezed her shoulder. "Then maybe we can find you a nice new dress. Perhaps a ball gown."

Cassandra threw her head back and laughed. "Well, we best hurry up then, eh?"

...

"You're free to go."

Urchin's head snapped up. He had waited over a year for those words to be spoken to him, but now that they had, he almost didn't believe them.

"What?" he asked, sliding to the edge of his bed.

"You heard me. Get out."

"Why am I able to leave?" he asked, swimming out of his jail cell.

"King Triton got some good news. Ariel's getting married. He's happy, he decided to set you free. Figured you paid for your crimes."

Urchin broke out into a smile. He knew the first place he was going, too. To the surface – to see Cassandra.

**First chapter, please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yes, I know, I suck. But the reason I haven't updated is because about half my keys don't work. I can only use periods and exclamation points, and have been copying and pasting extra letters in. Bear with me, I'm trying to have this fixed.**

…

**And I've fixed it! I know it took forever and a half, a thousand apologies, but at least I haven't abandoned it, right? Right?**

David and Cassandra made a pot of tea skillfully and rushed it up (without spilling!) to the assigned room.

"Who did you say this guest was?" Cassandra asked.

"I didn't." David reminded her. "She's supposed to be some fussy ol' Duchess or Countess or something, and she needed tea right at three for her joints or back or to refill her condescension meter"

Cassandra giggled and steadied the sugar bowl. She knocked politely on the door three times, and waited.

Grimsby answered the door and quickly ushered them in and towards a woman who was facing the fire, her back to David and Cassandra. Grimsby cleared his throat "Your tea has arrived, Duchess."

"Why it is 3:05, but it might as well be the turn of the 30th century for my joints are acting up in such a frustratingly preventable way, I so did think my instructions were clear enough for even the simplest of servants to understand, but it is quite obvious now, after this whole unfortunate affair, that they were not. This will make my task so much harder, for I have so much to accomplish, and it is already so difficult-" The Duchess broke off her lament and gazed at David in such a forceful way that both he and Cassandra placed down the tea set and braced themselves. "My son!" she cried, standing up and throwing amber skirts behind her. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she continued. "Why, I'd know those eyes if I saw them through frosted glass! They are my eyes!"

David took a step back, shaking his head. "No, not you…a duchess? Impossible, I knew, but…no! No?"

"My dear, sit down, sit down!" The Duchess insisted. "I do believe yesterday was your 21st birthday."

"Well, yes, it was, but that doesn't mean that you're my mother just because you know that!" David reasoned.

"I know, and how much have Margaret and John told you?" The Duchess asked.

"Okay, but it is a little strange that you know their names. Told me about what?"

"Did they not tell you I was coming?" The Duchess asked.

"They did, I just never really thought it was true. Most kids that are abandoned don't get picked up – by any parents, not just their biological ones."

"I had a very selfish, wrong reason for doing so, but it seemed like the only reason at the time." The Duchess sighed. "Please, let me try to explain."

"Go ahead." David said, leaning forward and taking a deep breath.

"I found out I was pregnant a week before the Duke and I were to marry. He is your father, and it was a one-time mistake, but he's a good, kind man, and he agreed to marry me anyway. But we decided that the best thing to do was to hide you away in the kingdom. Grimsby," she gestured to him here. "Helped us find a family who wanted a child. We made an agreement that they would raise you in secret until you turned 21, and then you would be allowed to choose the life you wanted."

"WHAT?" David bellowed, sitting up quickly and bumping into the tea tray, spilling it.

"I should go." Cassandra said softly, and fled the room.

…

Urchin broke the surface and pushed his hair back. He swiveled his head around. After his previous endeavors, he knew his way to Eric's beach like the back of his hand. He paddled towards the shoreline and called out for Cassandra.

What if she had moved on? It had been a year after all, and she was such a beautiful, wonderful girl…someone had surely snapped her up! He spotted a raven haired girl walking out onto the beach. She must be a visiting princess, he concluded. She was both graceful and beautiful, but she wore her lilac gown with the strangest reverence, as if she had never been in a ball gown before.

Yes, she was lovely, but she wasn't Cassandra. But maybe she could help?

"Hello!" Urchin called out, waving his arms. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted again. "HELLO!"

Maybe this isn't a good idea, he mused for but a moment, pulling himself up onto a rock and revealing his tail. But that though was quickly wiped out of his mind when he saw the girl sprinting towards him, plunging into the water, and throwing her arms around him was not some visiting princess, but rather, Cassandra.

"Urchin!" she screamed, pulling herself up onto the rock.

"Cassandra!" Urchin beamed, running his hand through her hair. Looking to the right, he saw she was still wearing her wedding ring. Smiling, he continued. "You look extraordinary, I thought you were a visiting princess!"

Cassandra blushed. "Yes, it's a little more than usual..."

"And here's me thinking you couldn't improve perfection.

Cassandra blushed more wildly now, but she did not distance herself. "I love you so much..." she let her voice fade off as she rested her head in the curve of his neck. After a few minutes, a new wave of emotion seemed to overcome her, as she sat up sharply and bumped Urchin's jaw. "But where HAVE you been?!" she demanded suddenly, still resting on his tail.

"Cassie-"

"Oh no, don't you even try to sweet talk me!" Cassandra interrupted quickly. "I want the truth, mister, and I better get every bit of it! I don't want the kind-of truth, or the glammed-up truth - I want what actually happened, and every detail I am clearly entitled to!"

"I was in jail!" Urchin spat. "God, give me a chance to speak! King Triton threw me in jail for trying to trade Ariel for you. I didn't like it, but I can't say I didn't deserve it. He let me out just now."

"Ariel's getting married." Cassandra added. "That's probably why he let you out; he's excited about that."

"That makes sense." Urchin shifted his weight so Cassandra slid in closer to him. "Sorry for snapping at you. I wish I could have seen you more."

"If only I knew, I would have become a mermaid and busted you out." Cassandra played.

"Would you?"

"Would I what-"

"Become a mermaid - would you do that? Come live in Atlantica?" Urchin grabbed Cassandra's hands and she looked away.

"Urchin-I"

"No, no, you're right." Urchin let go of her hands and leaned back. "That's too much to ask."


End file.
